Marine motor for bevel gear pivots for lower casings



Jan. 16, 1934. H. L. JOHNSON 1,943,323

MARINE MOTOR FOR BEVEL GEAR PIVOTS FOR LOWER CASINGS Original Filed July14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 16, 1934. H. 1.. JOHNSON 3 MARINE MOTORFOR BEVEL GEAR PIVOTS FOR LOWER CASINGS Original Filed July 14, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 16, 1934,

MARINE MOTOR.v FOR BEVEL GEAR PIVOTS FOR LOWER CASINGS Harry L. Johnson,Waukegan Ill., assignor to Johnson Brothers Engineering Corporation,South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application July 14, 1928,Serial No. 292,876

Renewed September 14, 1931 45 Claims.

My invention relates to propulsion devices for water vehicles and moreparticularly to a submergible propeller carrying unit mounted at therear of the water vehicle and driven by the prime 5 move thereof andarranged so as to tilt upwardly so as to avoid obstructions such as sandbars, logs, and the like. 1

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a normally verticallydisposed propeller carrying unit which is mounted at the rear of thewater vehicle and driven by a "motor having a substantially horizontallydisposed drive shaft and arranged so that the propeller carrying unit asa whole may shift upwardly to avoid sandbars, logs, and the like.

Still another object of my invention resides in" the arrangement of aprime mover such for instance as an inboard or outboard type of motor,which has a drive shaft disposed at the center of the water vehicle onwhich it is mounted and which has a driving connection with a waterpropeller disposed to one side of the center of the drive shaft wherebythe tendency of the front of the boat to veer to one side due to therotational movement of the propeller is substantially corrected by theplacing of the propeller to one side of the central axis of the boat.Another object of my invention resides in a novel type of gearedconnection between the substantially horizontal drive shaft of theinboard motor and the normally substantially vertically disposed drivenshaft mounted on the propeller carrying unit whereby the latter may.tilt upwardly to avoid obstructions while at the same time remaining inoperatively geared connection with the engine drive shaft which latterremains stationary. v

Still another object of my invention resides in the arrangement of astationary inboard type of motor having a substantially horizontal driveshaft and in the arrangement of a submergible unit including a gearcasing and carrying a propeller and enclosing a substantiallyverticallydisposed drive shaft driven from the horizontal engine shaftwhich gear casing is adapted to turn about the substantially verticallydisposed drive shaft as a center for steering and wherein theconstruction permits the gear casing and the propeller carried therebyto tilt upwardly to avoid obstructions.

Yet another object of my invention resides in of this aspect of myinvention resides in the sim-r':

ple clutch arrangement for connecting and disconnecting the gearingbetween the prime mover drive shaft and propeller shaft to cause eitherthe propulsion of the propeller from the prime mover drive shaft or tocausegthe raising and lowering" of the propeller by the rotation of thedrive shaft.

Further objects of my invention will be apparent from'a perusal of thefollowing specification when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section and partly perspective of myimproved device; and

Figure 2 is an end view with certain parts broken away to show moreclearly the construction. a 1

Referring now to the drawings. in detail, the water vehicle 2 may be ofany type. It is provided directly at its stem, or if desired, within arecessed portion of the stem, with a propulsion device. In theembodiment illustrating my invention, I have provided a prime mover foropcrating the propeller of the propulsion device and this primemover ispreferably of the inboard motor type of gas engine consisting of thehori zontally disposed double opposed cylinders 4 '0f the two cycletype, from which extends in rearward and in substantially horizontaldirection, the engine drive shaft 6. At the forward end of this shaft isprovidedthe usual combined flywheel and magneto 8 which may also includea rope starter, if desired. In addition there are the usual adjunctiyedevices such as the gasoline supply tank 10, the exhaust mufller 12,which preferably discharges through the rear of the boat through theexhaust conduit 14.

My propulsion device for driving the boat forwardly or backwardlyconsists in general in a submergible unit which has mounted therein andpreferably enclosed in a water tight casing or housing, a substantiallyvertically disposed 'driven shaft 16. This shaft is normally disposed'18, the same being at and above the normal water level and alsoincludes an anti-cavitation plate 20 which is at and slightly below thenormal water level and includes also a lower stream line casing '22 witha substantially'rounded] stream line propeller carrying casing 24 whichhouses thesubstantially horizontal propeller shaft 26 on which ismounted the propeller 28 at the rear, thereof. The front of this housingis closed by a rounded dome-like cap 30, all of the stationary housing38. On the contrary, it is the parts making a water-tight casing. As isWell known in the art, the propeller shaft 26 is geared by means of theusual bevel drive to the lower portion of the vertically disposed shaft16. The pathof the blades of the propeller 28 directly passes beneaththe anti-cavitation plate 20. If desired, the anti-cavitation plate 20may be hollow and may be formed with a water gathering mouth directly atthe rear of the path of travel of the propeller blades as is shown in aco-pending application filed jointly by me and Louis J. Johnson, SerialNo. 247,004, filed January 16, 1928, in which latter case the upperportion of the housing surrounding the shaft 16 will be provided withinlet and outlet nipples having a flexible piped connection through thestern of the boat to the water jacket of the engine. However, in thepresent application, I desireto provide the water jacket of the enginewith a separate water circulating system wherein the water is drawnupwardly by means of a pump, through pipe 32 passing through the bottomof the boat by means of the pump 34 and circulating through the waterjacket of the engine and thence discharged through the exhaust pipe 14.

Means is provided for permitting the submergible unit including the gearcase andthe propeller to tilt upwardly so as to avoid being damaged bycontact with obstructions, such as sand bars, floating logs, rocks andthe like, and to this end, the stern of the boat is provided with asturdy bracket 36 from which outstands a stationary arm- 38 forming oneportion of a housing.

This stationary housing 38 is adapted to make a sealed connection 40with an oscillatable or rotatable complementary housing 42. Housings 38and 42 are provided with inwardly extending sleeves 44 and 46 whichprovide spaced bearings for a horizontal transversely'extending shaft48. This .shaft 48 rotates freely in a bushing 49 in rigidly keyed as at51 to the shiftable housing 42. This shaft 48 loosely carries-thereon abevel gear 50 having double or spaced bevel teeth 52 and 54, the formermeshing with the bevel gear 56 on the outer end of the engine driveshaft 6 and the latter meshing with bevel gear 58 on the upper end ofthe vertically disposed driven shaft 16. A separate bracket 60 isattached to the stern of the vehicle to provide an abutment 62 and acoil spring 64 is coiled about the {end of the horizontal shaft 48between the abutment 62 and the exterior of the complemental gear casing42 so as to press this portion of the easing firmly against thestationary casing portion 48, the grooved seal connection serving toretain the lubricant within this; casing and to exclude water, moisture,dirt, and the like. The sealed connection 40 is of circular formation soas to permit the portion 42 to swing about the shaft 48 and its bearingsas an axis and relatively to the stationary housing 38. During thisswinging movement, it will be noticed that the bevel gears 52 and 54will be continually in mesh with the bevel gear 58 on the drive shaft 6and the bevel gear 58 on the vertically driven shaft 16.

The upper portion of the gear casing 18 extendsupwardly as asubstantially hollow tube and is provided at its upper'end with a rollerbearing 66 for the upper end of the vertical shaft 16 and the outside ofthis tubular casing provides a seat '72 for a lower tubular portion '74of the shiftable casing 42. In addition, the upper portion 70 of thetubular housing has keyed thereto a worm gear 76 held in place by a nut'18 and this worm 'gear in 'turn meshes with a small worm gear 80 on ashaft 82 set substantially at right angles thereto and terminating in aclutch socket 84 outside of the movable housing 42 as shown in Figure 1.

This clutch socket 84 is adapted to be detachably connected with anangularly disposed portion of a sprocket shaft 86 which has a sprocket88 on its inner end which may be driven by means of a suitable flexiblechain from any desired location in the water vehicle. Hence by turningthe sprocket 88, the lower propeller carrying casing and the propeller28 are turned angularly about the vertical driveshaft 16. At the sametime, it will be apparent that the clutch socket 84 permits the freeconnection and disconnection of this steering mechanism during thetilting movement of the submergible unit. The upper portion of the lowertilting unit is provided with an under cut collar 90 adapted to clutchwith a thrust plate 92 on a stationary bracket 94 mounted on the sternof the vehicle. This arrangement permits the lower unit to be held invertical position when the steering mechanism is turned 180 degrees toreversed position. In this event, the plate 92 will ride between andunder the under cut portions of collar 90 and prevent outward tiltingmovement of the submergible unit while when the gear casing orsubmergible unit is in the forward driving position as shown in Figure 1of the drawings, the plate 92 will be free from the collar 90 to permitfree upward movement of this submergible unit.

An important feature of myinvention resides in the means for preventingthe rotational movement of the propeller throwing the boat out of itstrue forward course. It is well-known that in the ordinary rotationalmovement of the propeller depending on whether the propeller rotatesclock-wise or anticlock-wise, the front ofthe boat will be drawn to theright or left. In the v present instance, I have provided means forcorrecting this deflection of the front of the boat by disposing thevertically disposed shaft 16 and its housing which carries thepropeller, to one side of the plane of the horizontally disposed driveshaft 6. For instance, in Figure 2 of the drawings, with the propellerrotating clockwise, as

viewed from the rear of the propeller, it'will have a tendency to turnthe back end of the boat to the right and the front end of the boat tothe left.

By disposing the propeller to the left of the drive shaft 6, whenviewing the rear of the structure, I have offset or substantially offsetthis deflecting tendency of the propeller so that the front of the boatwith this arrangement will remain substanl tially on its course.

Another important feature of my invention resides in the means forraising and lowering the propeller and propeller housing "including, the

drive shaft 16 so that at will this submergible structure may be liftedinto the dotted lineposition or reversely may be moved to the downwardposition so as to make the clutch connection 84 with the steeringmechanism. In the present instance I have provided a very compactlyarranged mechanism for carrying this-out which consists of a clutch 94slidably mounted on shaft 48 and which clutch is adapted to engage witha cooperative clutch 96 which laterally projects and is rigid with thebevel gear 50 loosely mounted on shaft 48. Clutch 94 is provided with alever 98 which lever is pivoted at 100 to the rotatable casing member.The lever is provided with anose 102 normally spring pressed in onedirection by a spring 104 which is housed in a recess of the ro- -thestationary shaft 48.

tatable housing. In addition, a slidable pin 106 'passes through anopening in this housing and is acted on by one end of a bell crank lever108 pivoted at 110 to the housing. In this operation by pushing down onthe outer end of the bell crank one direction or the other and hencewill result in turning the casing 12 so as to raise or lower it and thisraising and lowering of the casing 42 will carry with it the propellercasing and the propeller. Therefore when it be desired to raise or lowerthe propeller, it is merely necessary to clutch the bevel gear 50 toshaft 48 and to casing 42 and then to turn over the engine either byhand or by the usual rope-starter or starting clutch. The foregoingprovides a very ingenious mechanism for manually raising and loweringthe propeller unit. Reversely, by releasing the lever 108, the device isinstalled to its operative position for driving the propeller by meansof the engine shaft.

Another important feature of myinvention resides in arranging theelectric circuit for the ignition of the gas engine on the stationaryinboard motor so that during the free tilting ofthe sub mergible unit,the ignition circuit is disconnected so as to stop the engine and permitthe latter from raising. To this end, the clutch member 84 between theshaft 82 and the sprocket shaft 88 may itself form the electricalconnection, or may be provided with appropriate contacts in the electriccircuit for the gas engine so that when the steering clutch .isconnected, the circuit will be completed through a conductor 83 from themagneto 8 to sprocket shaft 86 thence through the clutch connection andfrom the opposite clutch member 84 by means of aconductor 85 to theengine spark plug or plugs, so that the engine may be ignited, but whenthe clutch connection is broken, the ignition system is likewisedisconnected.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the exactarrangement of gearing which accomplishes the foregoing features of myinvention. For instance, it is within the cona templation of myinvention to arrange the geardrive for the submergible unit so that thegears are not constantly in mesh in both vertical drive position and intilted position, but I prefer the present construction since it is verysimple and eliminates the necessity .of clutching and unclutching the:ertically driven shaft 16 and at the same time permits the propellercarrying casing to swing upwardly to a position substantially clear orwholly clear of the bottom of the water vehicle 2. In my presentconstruction, it will be noted that I provide means whereby thesubmergible unitor propeller carrying casing is in constant drivingconnection in any shifted position relative to the stationarily mountedinboard motor and also that when inv its normal vertically disposed andoperative driving position, it is in operative connection with thesteering mechanism mounted on the water vehicle.

Having thus described my invention, what I including a substantiallyhorizontally disposed drive shaft extending in a fixed location throughthe'end of the vehicle, ahousing mounted at thev rear of said vehicle,through which said drive shaft projects, a complemental housing movablymounted on the end of said vehicle and shiftable relatively to saidfirst mentioned housing, a propeller carrying casing turnably mounted insaid movable housing for steering the vehicle and including a normallyvertically disposed driven sham-driving connections in said housings forgearing said driven shaft to said first mentioned drive shaft, a casingsurrounding said vertically disposed driving shaft and a propellermounted on said casing and operatively connected to said verticallydisposed drive shaft, said gearing con nections in said housings beingconstructed and arranged to permit said propeller carrying casing totilt upwardly about a transverse axis with re-' spect to the drive shaftof said prime mover and the end of the water vehicle.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle having a prime mover mounted thereon provided with asubstantially horizontally disposed drive shaft, a station rily mountedhousing on said vehicle through w ich said drive shaft projects, acomplemental housing forming an enclosing casing and shiftablerelatively to said firstmentioned housing, said housings forming attheir junction an arcuately disposed sealed connection, means formaintaining said sealed connection, said housings being pro vided withinwardly extending bearings, a transverse shaft mounted in said bearingsand gearing on said transverse shaft connected with the drive shaft ofthe engine, a vertically disposed driven shaft, a vertically disposedhousing surrounding said driven shaft, and turnably mounted in said Jmovablehousing, the upper end of said vertically disposed shaft beinggeared to said gearing on said transverse shaft, a propeller carryingshaft geared to said vertically disposed drive shaft and a propeller onsaid latter shaft, and means for turning said last mentioned housing,said means being operated from thewater vehicle, said housing andgearing being constructed and arranged to permit the upward tilting ofsaid propeller carrying housing.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle having an engine mounted therein and provided with ahorizontally disposed shaft extending in a fixed location through thestern, a propeller carrying housing adapted to be submerged in the waterbeneath .the lower end of said water vehicle and including asubstantially vertically disposed driven sh'aft operatively connectedwith the horizontal shaft, means for turning said propeller carryinghousing about a vertical axis for steering, means for mounting saidhousing to tilt upwardly with respect to the fixed horizontal shaft, andsteering means extending through the stern and connected to the housingand adapted to permit said propeller carrying housing to tilt upwardlysubstantially above the level of the water vehicle.

4. In a device of.the class described, the com'-. 1

bination of a water vehicle having a gas engineprovided with ahorizontally disposed shaft, a propeller carrying housing adapted to basubmerged in the water beneath the lower eifd of said water vehicle andincluding a substantially the level of the water vehicle, and means fordisconnecting the steering mechanism during the tilting movement.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle having a gas engine provided with a horizontally disposed shaft,a propeller carrying housing adapted to be submerged in the waterbeneath the lower end of said water vehicle and including asubstantially vertically disposed driven shaft operatively connectedwith the horizontal shaft, means for turning said propeller carryinghousing, and steering means constructed and arranged to permit saidpropeller carrying housing to tilt upwardly substantially above thelevel of the bottom of the water vehicle, and means for-disconnectingthe steering mechanism during the tilting movement, andmeans forshutting off the gas engine during the tilting movement.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle having a gas engine provided with a horizontally disposed shaft,a propeller carrying housing adapted to be submerged in the waterbeneath the lower end of said water vehicle and including asubstantially vertically disposed driven shaft operatively connectedwith the horizontal shaft, means for turning said propeller carryinghousing, and steering means constructed and arranged to permit saidpropeller carrying housing to tilt upwardly substantially above thelevel of the bottom of the water vehicle, and means for disconnectingthe steering mechanism during the tilting movement, and means forcutting out the ignition circuit of the gas engine during the tiltingmovement.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle, an inboard motor thereon provided with a substantiallyhorizontally disposed drive shaft, a bracket on the stern of saidvehicle, a propeller carrying casing normally vertically disposed andmounted for angular movement in said bracket, a drive shaft in saidpropeller carrying casing and normally extending in vertical position,and operatively geared to the engine drive shaft, means for permittingsaid propeller casing to tilt upwardly to avoid obstructions, and meansfor turning said propeller carrying casing for steering and reversing,and means on said propeller carrying casing and water vehicle forlocking the propeller car rying casing from tilting movement when inreversed position.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle having an inboard motor mounted thereon provided with ahorizontally disposed drive shaft, a hollow housing mounted on saidwater vehicle and into which the rear end of said drive shaft projects,said housing including relatively shiftable parts, a. propeller carryingcasing shiftably mounted in the movable one of said relatively shiftablehousing parts, said propeller carrying casing including a drive shaftextending upwardly into said housing, and geared connections in saidhousing between said latter shaft and the engine shaft, said housing andgeared connections being constructed and arranged to permit the upwardtilting of said propeller carrying casing about a transverse horiraisingand lowering the propeller from the enzontal axis to avoid obstructions,and means for turning said propeller carrying casing relative to saidmovable portion of said housing for steer- 9. Ina device of the classdescribed, the combination ofa water vehicle provided with a stationaryprime mover having a horizontally disposed drive shaft located at thecentral longitudinal axis of the boat and provided with a bevel gearthereon, a cross shaft having a second bevel gear meshing with saidfirst mentioned bevel gear, a propeller shaft vertically disposed andhaving a third bevel gear meshing with said second bevel gear, a supportand a propeller on said support operated by said propeller shaft, saidpropeller shaft being located to one side of the axis of the drive shaftfor the purpose of correcting the tendency of the propeller to deflectthe front of the boat laterally.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle, a prime mover thereon having a drive shaft, a support on saidboat, a propeller shaft and propeller mounted on said support, and meansoperable by the drive shaft for raising and lowering the propeller shaftand 100 propeller.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle, a prime mover thereon having -a drive shaft, a support, apropeller shaft on said support, a propeller on said support 105operated by said propeller shaft, and operative means between said driveshaft and propeller shaft, said connection including means for operatingthe propeller from the engine shaft or for gine shaft.

1 2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a watervehicle having a prime -mover provided with a drive shaft, a propellerfor said boat having a shaft operatively connected to said drive shaftfor rotating said propeller, and means associated with said drivingconnection for causing the same to raise and lower the propeller withrespect to said boat.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination witha watervehicle, a prime mover thereon having a substantially horizontal shaftprovided with a bevel gear, a. second shaft, a shiftable support onwhich said second shaft is rigidly mounted, a second bevel gear looselymounted on said second shaft, a propeller shaft and propeller mounted onsaid shiftable support, said propeller shaft terminating in a bevel gearmeshing with said loose bevel. gear, and means for clutching said loosebevel gear to its shaft whereby to make the same rigid with saidshiftable support whereby on rotation of said prime mover drive shaftsaid propeller support will be raised or lowered.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle, a prime mover thereon having a substantially horizontallydisposed shaft terminating in a bevel gear, a stationary housingenclosing the rear end of-said shaft, a shiftable housing forming withsaid stationary housing an enclosed casing, a shaft mounted with respectto said stationary housing and stationarily mounted in said shiftablehousing, a second bevel gear'in said housing and meshing with said firstmentioned bevel gear, and being loosely port operatively connected withsaid propeller shaft, a clutch slidably keyed on said second shaft andadapted to clutch with said loosely mounted bevel gear, means forshifting said clutch in one direction and spring means for normallythrowing said clutch out of contact with said loosely mounted bevelgear.

15. The combination of a boat and a prime mover therefor having astationary horizontal shaft extending through the rear of the boat, apropeller shaft, a gearing connection between the propeller and driveshafts to permit the propeller shaft to swing upwardly about the outerend of the drive shaft, a shiftable support in which the propeller shaftand propeller are mounted which is rotated about the propeller shaft asan axis for steering, and means for operating the shiftable support fromthe boat which includes a clutch connection which is separated when theshiftable support is rotated with the propeller shaft to swing upwardlyabout its transverse axis.

16. In a water propelled vehicle, a stationary engine, a driving shaft,extending therefrom -l through the end of the vehicle, a propeller and amounted in the rotatable casing portion for a rear of the boat about atransverse mounting the propeller and the propeller driving shafttherein and rotatable for steering, and a train of gears connecting thedriving and propeller driving shafts in the casing and permittingthe-said support and the rotatable casing portion to swing upwardlyabout a transverse axis at the end of the enginedrive shaft. Y

17, A water propelled vehicle having a stationary engine, a drivingshaft extending through the end of the vehicle, a propeller and apropeller shaft, a support in which the propeller and its. shaft arerotatable for steering, a train of gears connecting the driving andpropeller shafts to permit the propeller support to swing upwardly;about a transverse horizontal axis, a housing for the train of gearscomprising a fixed and rotatable part and means opposite the fixed partof the casing for engaging the movable part of the, casing and holdingthe two casing parts together.

18. The combination with a boat of a stationary engine mounted in thestern of the boat having a yieldingly shaft which extends through thestern; a propeller, a propeller driving shaft and a support in whichthey are mounted and rotatable for steering; and means comprising atrain of gears located in three diifernt planes for connecting thepropeller and driving shafts and allowing the said support to-swingupwardly about a transverse horizontalaxis without disconnecting thetrain of gears.

19. The combination of a boat having a stationary engine with itsdriving shaft extending through the stern, a bevel gear at the outerendof the shaft, a cross shaft having a second bevel gear meshingtherewith, a propeller driving shaft disposed vertically and having athird bevel gear meshing with the second bevelled gear, a supportrotatable for steering and a propeller on said support operated bythepropeller driving shaft, the support being movable upwardly at the axissothat the propeller will avoid obstructions,

20. The combination with a water vehicle, of an inboard motor having ahorizontal drive shaft extending through the stern thereof, a verticalpropeller c rrying unit having a driving connection with the outer endof the shaft, and means for mounting the unit on the/outside of the stemto tilt upwardly about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis ofthe boat to avoid obstructions.

21. The combination with a boat, of an engine fixed therein having ashaft extending in a substantially horizontal location through the sternof the boat, a driving unit pivoted on the outside of the boat stern andcomprising a vertical shaft having a driving connection with thehorizontal shaft and a propeller at the lower end of the vertical shaftbelow the boat, the vertical shaft and the propeller comprising thedriving unit tilting upwardly about the stern of the boat in a fore andaft vertical plane to swing the propeller upwardly to avoidobstructions.

22. The combination with a boat, of an engine fixed therein having asubstantially horizontal shaft extending in a fixed location through thestern, a propeller carrying unit comprising a normally vertical driveshaft having a bevel gear connection with the other shaft, and means formounting the unit to tilt upwardly about the stern of the boat in avertical longitudinal plane to swing the propeller clear of obstructionsand above the bottom of the boat.

23. The combination with aboat, of an inboard engine mounted thereinhaving a horizontal drive shaft extending in a fixed location throughthe stern, a propeller ca ying unit comprising a casing and a normallyvertical drive shaft, a driving connection between the two shafts, meansfor mounting the propeller carrying unit to tilt upwardly about thestern of the boat to avoid obstructions, and means for rotating thecasing for steering.

24. The combination with a boat, of a stationary engine therein with ahorizontal drive shaft between the shafts, and means for mounting thevcasing totilt upwardly about an axis transverse to theengine shaft toclear the boat bottom and avoid obstructions.

25. The combination with a boat, of an engine fixed therein having ahorizontal shaft extending in a fixed location through the stern, anormally vertical propeller carrying casing and means for rotating itabout a vertical axis for steering, a vertical shaft in the casing, adriving connection between the shafts, and meansfor mounting the casingand its normally vertical shaft to tilt upwardly with respect to thefixed horizontal shaft at the stern of the boat to avoid obstructions.

26. The combination with a boat, of an engine mounted therein havinga'subs'tantially horizontal :drive shaft extending in a fixed locationthrough the stern, a normally vertical propeller carrying casing havinga propeller normally diswardly with said casing to raise the propellerabove the bottom of the boat to avoid obstructions.

27. The combination with a boat, of an engine mounted therein having a,horizontal drive shaft extending through the stem at a fixed location, apropeller carrying housing having a propeller normally below water leveland a normally vertical driving shaft therefor connected with thehorizontal drive shaft, a pivotal mounting for the housing at the sternof the boat to permit it to tilt upwardly to avoid obstructions, meansfor rotating a portion of the housing about a vertical housing forsteering, and means extending from within through the stern of the boatfor engaging the rotatable portion of the housing for steering when itis in normal position and permitting the housing to tilt upwardly aboutthe stern,of the boat.

28. The combination with a boat, of an engine mounted therein having ahorizontal drive shaft extending through the stem at a fixed location, apropeller carrying housing normally submerging the propeller below thestern, and including a normally vertical driven shaft operatively connected with the horizontal shaft, means for mounting the propellercarrying housing to turn for steering, a pivotal mounting for thehousing at the stern of the boat to permit it to tilt upwardly withrespect to the horizontal shaft, and means for disconnecting thesteering means during the tilting movement.

29. The combination with a. boat, of a gas engine having a horizontaldrive shaft, a propeller carrying housing having its lower end normallybelow water level at the rear of the boat, and including a verticaldrive shaft operatively connected with the horizontal drive shaft, meansfor mounting the housing to tilt upwardly so the lower end will avoidobstructions, and an ignition circuit for the gas engine which is brokento shut off the engine during the tilting movement of the housing.

30. The combination with a boat, of an inboard motor mounted therein, anoutboard driving unit comprising a vertical shaft-having a horizontaldriving connection with the motor, means for mounting the driving unitto tilt upwardly about the stern of the boat to avoid obstructions,means to rotate th; lower end of the unit for steering and reversing,and reverse locking means for engaging the rotatable portion of the unitfor looking it from tilting movement when in reversing position.

31. The combination with a boat, of a stationary inboard engine mountedtherein, an outboard propeller driving unit comprising a vertical shafthaving a horizontal driving connection with the engine, and means formounting the unit to tilt upwardly and rearwardly about an axistransverse to the longitudinal axis of the boat to avoid obstructions.

32. The combination with a boat, of a stationary inboard engine mountedtherein having a substantially horizontal drive shaft extending throughthe stern, an outboard propeller driving unit comprising a normallyvertical driving shaft connected to the outer nd of the engine driveshaft, and means for mounting the unit to tilt the propeller upwardly ina fore and aft vertical plane with respect to the engine shaft to avoidobstructions.

33. An outboard marine motor drive unit for attachment to the stern of aboat, comprising a propeller at the bottom, a normally vertical drivingshaft therefor, a horizontal driving connection at the top of the shaftto extend through the stern of a boat, and means for mounting the uniton the stern of a boat so that the propeller and the vertical shaft willtilt upwardly in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the boat tomove the propeller to avoid obstructions.

34. A marine motor drive unit comprising a horizontal drive shaft avertical driving shaft,

a propeller at the lower end operated by the vertical shaft, a drivingconnection at the upper end of the vertical shaft adapted to beconnected to said horizontal shaft, and means for mounting the verticalshaft and the propeller to tilt upwardly in a vertical plane parallel tothe longitudinal axis of a boat so the propeller will, avoidobstructions. f

35. A marine motor having a stationary engine with a horizontal driveshaft to extend through the end of a boat, an outboard driving unitcomprising a vertical shaft with a connection at its upper end with theengine shaft and a propeller at its lower end operated thereby, andmeans for mounting the vertical shaft and propeller to tilt upwardly ina longitudinal vertical plane at the end of a boat and with respect tothe engineshaft so the propeller will avoid obstructions.

36. In a device of the-class described, the combination of a watervehicle having a primemover provided with a fixed and substantiallyhorizontally disposed driving shaft, a submergible unit carrying apropeller and having a normally vertically disposed driven shaftoperatively connected with the first-mentioned shaft, and means wherebysaid propeller carrying unit may tilt upwardly with respect to thedriving shaft in a fore and aft vertical plane substantially above thebottom of the water vehicle to avoid obstructions.

3'7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle, an inboard type of motor having a horizontally disposed driveshaft extending in a fixed location through the stern thereof, apropeller carrying unit normally disposed in vertical position andcarrying a propeller having its shaft in normal horizontal position,means for driving said vertically disposed shaft from said horizontalshaft, said means being constructed and arranged to permit the propellercarrying unit to tilt upwardly in a plane parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the vehicle with respect to the horizontally disposed shaft ofthe inboard motor and to substantially clearvthe bottom of the vehicle.

38. In a device of the class described, the combination with a watervehicle having a prime mover rigidly mounted thereon provided with asubstantially horizontally disposed drive shaft extending in a fixedlocation through the vehicle stern, a propeller carrying unit consistingof a normally substantially vertically disposed drive shaft geared to anormally horizontally disposed propeller carrying shaft and bevelgearing construction operatively connecting the upper end of saidvertically disposed drive shaft and said horizontally disposed engineshaft, and, means including said bevel gearing for mounting saidpropellercarrying unit to swing its substantially vertical shaftupwardly in a vertical plane about an axis transverse to thelongitudinal axis of the vehicle to substantially clear the bottom ofthe vehicle to avoid obstructions.

39. In a. device of the class described, the combination with a watervehicle having a prime mover thereon provided with a substantiallyhorizontally disposed drive shaft extending in a fixed location throughthe vehicle, a propeller carrying unit to swing upwardly in alongitudinal vertical plane about a transverse axis at the outer end ofthe horizontally; substantially clear the bottom of the vehicle to avoidobstructions, said gearing remaining in mesh during the tilting movementof said propeller carrying unit.

40. In a device of the class described, the combination of a watervehicle, an inboard type of motor mounted thereon and having ahorizontally disposed drive shaft extending in a fixed location throughthe vehicle stern, a bracket on said vehicle and providing spacedbearings, a horizontal shaft mounted in said bearings, a bevel gearmounted on said horizontal shaft and meshing with a bevel gear on theend of said motor shaft, a propeller carrying casing mounted in saidbracket and including a vertically disposed drive shaft having a bevelgear on its upper end meshing with said last-mentioned bevel gear, apropeller shaft geared to the lower end of said vertically disposedshaft and carrying a propeller,

and means for turning said propeller carrying casing about thevertically disposed shaft, and."

means for permitting said propeller carrying casing to tilt upwardly ina vertical fore and aft plane about a transverse axis with respect tothe horizontal shaft of the motor.

41. The combination of a boat and a marine motor therefor, comprising anengine fixed in the boat, a driving shaft extending from the enginethrough the hull of the boat, a propeller, and a vertical propellerdriving shaft having a gearing connection with the propeller at itsbottom and a gearing connection with the driv ing shaft at its toppermitting the vertical propeller driving shaft to swing upwardly in avertical fore and aft plane about 'anaxis transverse to the enginedriving shaft.

42. A water propelled vehicle in combination witha stationary engine, adrive shaft extending therefrom through the hull of the vehicle, aprodisposed drive shaft to peller and a vertical propeller drivingshaft, means comprising atrain of gears connecting the shafts, the trainof gears being connected to actuate the vertical propeller driving shaftand to allow said vertical driving shaft to swing upwardly in alongitudinal vertical-plane about an axis transverse to the drive shaftwithout destroying the connection between the shafts.

43. In a water propelled vehicle, a stationary rotatable for steering,the rotatable portion of the casing being mounted to swing the propellerdriving shaft upwardly about the fixed casing portion as a horizontalaxis in a fore and aft vertical plane without disconnecting the train 0gears.

44. The combination with a boat, of a stationary engine therein having ahorizontal shaft extending through the hull of the boat and provided atits outer end with abev'el gear, a second shaft, a shiftable support onwhich said second shaft is mounted, a second bevel gear loosely mountedon said second shaft, a vermission unit having a driving connection withthe shaft and hinged to the outer end of the casing to tilt rearwardlyupward; j

HARRY ,1... JOHNSON.

